For Keeps
by QuirkyFoxGirl
Summary: Lizzie Spaulding always likes men she can’t have. Men that are no good for her, and sometimes, just no good. Bill Lewis is no exception. Can Lizzie finally tame the beast, or will Bill make her just as miserable as every man in her past has?
1. I

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** First GL fanfic. The Bill/Lizzie budding romance has actually made me want to watch again. So, here's the first chapter. Please review, and be honest! This takes place after Bill has lost his sight, and no matter what tract the show takes from there, I'll just keep going with my own imagination :D

**For Keeps**

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**I . **"Princess, you got no reason to be jealous."

* * *

"I'm telling you darlin', you are making a real big mistake" Billy said looking earnestly into the eyes of his business partner, friend, and surrogate daughter.

Lizzie Spaulding sighed, looked at her feet. Part of her knew that Billy was right. Her brain told her that Billy's son was no good at all. All the stuff that he had done since he got back into town proved that even though Bill Lewis had once been looked to as one 'heck'uva a guy', that guy was no longer him. He wasn't even one of the good guys anymore at all. He was one of the enemies. Just like her grandfather. And that was the worst thing you could possibly be. An unfeeling sociopath.

However, the other part of her, the part that was currently winning the race with the more logical side, told her that Bill Lewis was what she'd been looking for. He was a strong man, and deep down he cared about her. He carried her picture in his wallet for goodness sakes! He was funny, and smart, ambitious and resourceful. Not to mention, he was pretty easy on the eyes. Strike that. He was completely gorgeous.

Sensing her inner turmoil, Billy reached out and took the pint-sized blonde's hand in both of his.

"Listen to me sweetheart. I know you care about my son, and that makes me so happy, that despite all the trouble he's causing, he's got somebody like you in his corner-"

"Somebody like me Billy? Don't paint me up like saint. I've changed, yeah, but I've done some pretty horrible things. I'm no angel that you have to protect from losing my innocence or anything."

"Hey, hey darlin', let me finish. I know you've done some things you ain't too proud of. We all have. I mean, look at me, I'm in rehab. But, the difference is, we know we were wrong. We're fixing our lives. Bill ain't even admitted how screwed up he is just yet. He's still got a big ole chest full of rage he wants to get out, and I just don't want you to get caught in the crossfire of his problems. "

"But he's a Lewis." She said squeezing his hand, and offering a hopeful smile "He's your son Billy. And that makes me know he's going to turn out okay"

Billy's eyes twinkled at her. "_Okay_ huh? Like his Pop, making mistake after mistake?"

"No." She said, sitting down beside him on his bed. If you could call this thing a bed. She made mental note to talk to this rehab about he mentor's current sleeping arrangements. Billy Lewis didn't deserve to sleep on a cot. "I know he's going to turn out to be just as sweet, selfless, and caring as his father-" Billy made to interject but she shushed him. "Now you let **me** finish. You may feel like scum Billy, but our friendship was the best thing that ever happened to me. You helped me through one of the darkest times of my life, and you're still helping me deal with everything. You...you're the greatest guy I know. Now, what do you say to that?"

Billy looked thoughtfully at her for second, before grinning. " I say, you need to meet some more guys darlin'."

She narrowed her eyes at him before puling him into a side hug. "I have to go, but I want you to call me anytime you need me. And I'll back to see you the day after tomorrow, tomorrow if you're not sick of me."

"I'm never sick of sweets, but I think you need to concentrate on yourself a little more, and me a little less. Besides, I got sessions all day tomorrow."

She looked at him with a skeptical grin as she stood and got her coat. "Okay, then I'll see you day after. Take care of yourself."

"You too darlin'" He said, following her to the door "And Lizzie please, think about what I said. Don't go falling for my boy. Look after him, but don't let him under your skin. I'm telling you, the state he's in, he'll let you down."

She gave him a half smile and nodded. "Bye Billy."

Little did Billy know, it was a little late for his advice.

* * *

Bill Lewis may be without his sight, but he would know that thick, sweet coconut-y smell anywhere. As soon he heard the door open, from where he lay propped up in his bed, he could smell her intoxicating scent, and he slapped on his large toothy grin.

"Princess, you're back! I thought I was actually going to have to get up and do something fro myself."

Lizzie gave him an incredulous look, which was completely wasted, since he wouldn't see it anyway. She saw that his coat was over the back of the chair, and wet tracks were on the floor, so it was obvious that he'd been out all by his self. Well, not by his self. He was still having trouble getting around. So that told Lizzie that Ava had probably more than likely been his little crutch.

That infuriated Lizzie, and it infuriated her even more that she was jealous. For the second time in her life, she was envious of Ava Peralta. That he would make her feel that way, that she would allow him to make her feel that way, was criminal. But, you can't help how you feel, and like it or not, Lizzie already felt attached to Bill.

She just huffed as she cleaned up the food mess, that the two of them had likely made, from all around the room. She really couldn't complain. She had asked for this, No, she had begged Bill to move back in so that she could take care of him. He hadn't even wanted to. It was only under Dinah and Vanessa's urging that he did. After all, without much of a life these days, all she had was time.

When she got to a side table closest to where he was propped, he felt around until his hand grazed her body, and then leaned up and stealthily pulled her close. "I don't like to be ignored."

She tried to shrug out of his grasp, but now that he had his bearings, he found the small of her back with one strong hand, and maneuvered her until she was on top of him. Taking advantage of the situation, he ran his hands over every inch of her that he could, and searched for her lips with his own. Partly because she felt bad for him, though he didn't deserve it, and partly because he was just too much to resist, she pressed her lips to his, and after they parted an easy smile spread across his face.

"Now that's a good hello. I prefer that to icy indifference"

Her anger a little broke by the attention, and a little distracted by his ever-moving hands, she rolled over and situated herself on the bed beside him.

"You feel okay? I see you went out."

"I feel fine," He groaned a little agitated. He hated being treated like an invalid " I'm not sick, I just can't see right now."

Avoiding the subject of his blindness all-together, she smoothed his shirt a little, before settling into the crook of his arm. "So, did you and _Ava_ have a good time?"

He gave a smirk, which she immediately wanted to wipe off his face, and also made her make to get way, but he tightened the grip of the arm that held her to his side.

"Hey, you didn't even me chance to say anything babe. For your information, Ava wasn't here. Dinah brought me some food over."

She glared at him, boring holes. "Dinah is in rehab. I just saw her when I was there visiting your father. Does she have apparition powers now?"

He laughed a little, curling his fingers in her wavy hair. "Okay. You caught me warden. I've been a bad boy. If I was you, I would _definitely_ punish me."

This time she did get up, giving him a slight push as she did.

"You are unbelievable you know? You're really the biggest jerk I've ever met."

"Do you get infatuated with every jerk you know, or just the really cute ones?"

"How do you even come from the same bloodline as your father? I swear, I really need to take his advice more often. He never lies to me." She asked, taking off her coat, and avoiding even looking at his smirking countenance.

"Ohhhh. That's what's got you in such a mood" He nodded knowingly, and began speaking in a Southern drawl, imitating his father's speech. " You went to see 'Big Daddy', and he told his little apple fritter-darlin' to stay away from his black sheep son."

"This has nothing to do with Billy. It has to do with the inconsiderate way you're treating me, after everything I'm trying to do for you."

This time, it was Bill that stood up in a huff. "I don't need anything from you, got that? So you can stop doing me favors right now, and I'll get my own room. " He made for the door, a bit wobbly, and hand to hold his balance on various objects, seeing as he had refused the help of the cane that Rick had tried to get him to use.

"Wait." She said, side stepping in front to of him just as he made it to the door. "I'm sorry, I want you here, okay? I do. I just." She paused, not wanting to be honest, but wanting him to stay more "I'm just jealous. Okay? You happy. I'm jealous of Ava."

His face relaxed a little, and after a minute the victorious grin found his lips again, and she wanted to puke. She tried to move past him defeated, but he found her face with hands and kissed her slowly.

After they broke, leaving her breathless, he pushed his lips through her hair to whisper in her ear.

"Princess, you got no reason to be jealous, 'cause even fighting with you turns me on."


	2. II

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affliated with CBS, GL, Marcy or Daniel. Just a fan!

**A/N**: Okay, said I wasn't going to follow the show, but things that happened Friday were just too good to not be a part of this! I don't think Lizzie is pregnant, but I had an idea for a twist on this story. Oh, and sorry, Jon and Sarah probably won't be coming home in my story. I **can't wait** for it to happen on the show, but I just wanted to a sweet strictly Bizzie fic, because I've heard February sweeps are going to bring about a "Jon/Lizzie/Bill" love triangle.

**For Keeps**

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**II**. "You were a real sweet boy son, but you're turning into a real bad man."

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Two days after Bill had assured her she had no reason to be jealous of Ava Peralta, Lizzie had walked in on them doing the dirty. With the door open! And he had been mocking her help to boot. She had wanted to be cool calm and collected. A strong and independent woman who slapped on smile and acted as if everything was all right. 

But, she had done the Lizzie-thing and reamed him out. She didn't care anymore. She wanted nothing more to do with that low-life. He made her feel horrible about herself, using her like an object, at a time when she was just starting to get her life back together. And that he would do this, so close to approaching the eve of her baby girl's death, proved how truly miserable he was.

Still lower was that scum Ava. Lizzie had thought for a split second that his little bed buddy had come outside to actually try and comfort her, but instead she had just outlined the reasons that Lizzie was all wrong for Bill, and the reasons that she (Ava) was all right for him. Baggage. That's what she'd said Lizzie had, baggage. Lizzie would love to see Ava with baggage. Baggage and a plane ticket to lands unknown. And after seeing them, she wouldn't mind if Bill was boarding that same plane.

"Bill Lewis is a selfish pig." She repeated to Reva as they sat at the hospital waiting for the results of the test she had just taken. A test she had very mixed emotions about.

"I know honey. But, that selfish pig just might be fathering your child."

This was panning out to be such a distressing week. One year ago around this time Jonathon Randall, a man who she had earnestly thought she loved (despite his serious relationship with her one time best friend) had driven over a cliff, and taken her precious baby girl with him. Lizzie was numb from the inside out thinking about the loss she's suffered. What made it worse was, their death, and Tammy's, she blamed all on herself. No, she hadn't been behind the wheel of either cars, but she had went to her grandfather for help, when she knew how vile he was.

She had just wanted to keep Sarah. Sarah was the only thing she'd ever wanted so badly. And her actions had taken her away.

Talking to Reva always helped, but today when they'd been talking, Lizzie's stomach pains had became so bad that Reva made her go to Cedars. That was not fun. A hospital. Hospitals were full of memories of death. Of good memories too though, like the snowy night Sarah had been born. So, Lizzie was very conflicted.

She was so stunned when the doctor had told her she felt she might be pregnant, that she was surprised she hadn't fell off the table. Then it all came back to her. She had been so wrapped up in her grief that she'd been ignoring the warning signs. The undeniable nausea. Heightened sense of smell. She'd been through these things less than a year and a half ago.

Part of Lizzie wanted it to be true so bad. She wanted a baby. Not to replace Sarah, because that was a hole that could never be filled. She just wanted someone to love. Someone to be good too, and actually give a normal life that she had not had. A second chance for that brief bit of happiness she had while being a mother. Just to feel like a mother again. To feel like a woman again.

On the other hand, there was Bill Lewis. Cold, callous, irritatingly cynical Bill. The same guy who had been causing trouble for everyone decent in the town since he'd come home. Even his own father Billy. Good, sweet, kind, self-sacrificing Billy who Lizzie owed so much too. She should have known that son of his was a ticking time bomb from the get go. Now here she sat, possibly with his child. She would say his demon spawn, but she would never think so harshly of her own baby.

And, a third part of Lizzie, the one the middle part was kicking the crap out of, thought this was good for a very different reason. This would make Bill want her the way she wanted him. It would make him want to be a family with her and the baby. To call her 'sweetheart' and 'princess' all the time, and rub her stomach, and bring her flowers, and wink fondly at her, and never ever even think about nasty Ava ever again.

"You're being real quiet." Reva said as continued to sit in the waiting room of Cedars. She draped a supportive arm around Lizzie's shoulder. "Don't worry. If you are having a baby, I'll be there for you, in everyway. And so will Billy. You won't even need Bill, at all. Or your granddad."

"I will never need my granddad again…and I certainly don't need Bill." She said darkly.

The doctor walked by, and Lizzie looked up expectantly

"No results yet Miss Spaulding. Soon. Thank you for being patient."

Lizzie just sighed, and shivered little in the cold of the waiting room.

"So, what are you thinking kid?" Reva asked, wanting to know Lizzie's feelings. Truth was, she really cared a lot about her. She may be a spoiled Spaulding, but she'd turned into a real sweet spoiled Spaulding. Poor thing. It ripped Reva apart to bear such a horrid secret from the fragile little thing, but what could she do? She was bound by the bonds of motherhood to stay true to her son. And this is what he wanted.

Speaking of Jonathon, she'd talked over the phone with him while Lizzie was in the exam room. He was just checking in, and she'd mentioned Lizzie being sick with grief. He'd been concerned, and mentioned coming to town to check on her. Reva had shooed away that possibility. Alan was acting obsessive again lately. It was the wrong time to have Sarah anywhere near Springfield.

"Argh" Lizzie clutched her stomach. This time the pain was more violent, more nauseating.

"You okay? Should I call the doctor?" Reva asked, eyes worried.

It passed, and Lizzie settled back in her chair. "No. That was just a really bad one. You know, I think I really am pregnant. I mean, these pains aren't too familiar, but I just have that familiar pregnant feeling. You know, that motherly feeling."

The other two parts had kicked the middle one out. Lizzie wanted this baby. She wanted to be a good mother. To start her life _as _a mother. To not make any of the same mistakes she'd made before. She wanted Bill to be part of it, but if it's not what he wanted, she wouldn't scheme, or pitch a fit. She would be happy with the new little blessing God had bestowed upon her. Her redemption was this baby. She smiled at Reva, and placed a hand on her belly.

"I'm going to be okay. We, me and this baby, are going to be just fine."

Reva clutched her. "Well, Miss Mommy, I guess I need to get some celebratory food. Anything you're craving yet?"

"With Sarah I ate about a bazillion Buzz burgers. I couldn't get enough of them" She smiled hopefully.

Reva smiled taking the hint. "I'll go on over and order us a couple. When you get all your orders here, you report to Company and we'll strategize on nursery patterns and baby names."

"And how to deal with very unhappy men who don't want to be Daddies. " She said with a half smile.

The older woman just winked "We'll deal with him."

Lizzie smiled gleefully to herself, and continued to pat her stomach,. Pretty soon it would be bursting with new life. A little Spaulding-Lewis. Or just a Spaulding…or maybe, she hoped against hope, just a Lewis.

As she was deciding between the names Reva or Lilly for a girl, and Will or Harlan for a boy, she barely heard the doctor approaching.

Lizzie immediately gulped at the grave look on her face.

"Miss Spaulding, could you please step in the exam room, I have something I need to explain to you."

* * *

"Stop yelling at me like a little kid! Ever since I came back to town you have been all over my case. You owe me. You almost got me killed in Venezuela, and you're acting like I'm the wayward one? You're in rehab!" 

Bill Lewis was so sick of his father right now, he could throw a chair.

"I'll start treatin' you like a man when you earn it, boy. You're actin' like a spoiled little punk, and I didn't raise no punks. Now I love you, I do, but you better not be thinkin' I'm going to let you keep walkin' all over little darlin' without sayin' anything. She's a good soul, and all you've done is try to break her since you got here." His father was elevating his voice with same intensity his son was.

Bill scoffed.

"Hey, I've told her no lies about who I am. She knew I wasn't Romeo. She's not the blind one, I am."

"That girl" Billy said, saying with concern "Has been through the fire. She has dealt with a pain no woman should ever have to bear at any point in her life. She lost a baby when she wasn't nothin' but a baby-child herself. Your teasin' is not good for her. You're hurtin' her, and I won't stand for it."

Deep down, Bill felt a pang of guilt for the way he'd been treating Lizzie. He really meant her no harm. She was cute, and a real shot of life. She was just…too heavy for him right now, emotionally that is. He was not ready for a long haul thing, of any kind.

"Hmm. You're so mad that I'm playing cat and mouse with Lizzie, but you don't even care that some sicko tried to kill me. But, oh I forgot, it's okay because he only blinded me."

"We're not even discussin' that. I'm just layin' it out to you real simple like. You were a real sweet boy son, but you're turning into a real bad man. You stay away from Lizzie. "

After that confrontation, Bill decided to buy Lizzie a bunch of daisies on his way back home.

* * *

"Darlin', I'm home." Bill called brightly after he entered the hotel room, flowers in hand, Dinah at his heels.

When he heard no response from Lizzie he tired again. "Come on Princess, you can't stay mad at Daddy forever. He's real, real sorry."

"She's not here Bill" Dinah said lowly.

"Not here? How do you know?"

"Unlike you little brother, I can see. And I see she's not here, and I am currently reading a note she left you."

"Don't keep me in the dark, what's my sweetie's love note say."

'Bill, I'm sorry. Really sorry. I can't see you anymore. It hurts too much, and I can't explain why. You're probably happy anyway, but I needed to say sorry even if you don't understand why. Just leave me alone. I have too much baggage for you. Too much for anyone. Signed Lizzie." Dinah read off monetonely.

"How melodramatic." Bill quipped cracking a smile. "I can't believe she got this mad over me bouncing around with Ava. She is such a drama queen. She just wants to get reaction out of me."

"I don't know." Dinah said quietly "Her writing is pretty erratic. It's even got tearstains. I think this may be more than just Ava."

Bill sighed.

"What could it possibly be?"


	3. III

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** Glad you guys like it, so far! I'm really lovin' this couple on GL guys. If they're on, I can actually watch a whole episode now! My story is a bit melodramtic/angsty, but hey, I classified it as angst after all! XD Sorry if you aren't into, and for this next chapter, if you're weak hearted, you made need tissues!

Hope you continue to enjoy….

**For Keeps**

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**III. **"A spontaneous what?"

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A whole night and most of another day had passed since her trip to Cedars, but Elizabeth Spaulding had not slept a wink. All night she had cried. Cried, and prayed for forgiveness for all of her sins. All of the things she had done wrong in her life that had caused God to punish her this way. She had cried to the point where she felt she had no tears left. It wasn't possible for this many to come out of one person. But they kept coming, in torrents.

Their had been no chance of her going back to the Beacon. She couldn't face Bill. See that stupid crooked little grin. And not even because she was mad at him, it was because she felt he had reason to mad at her. She had just left him a note, and took Reva up on her offer to stay in an extra room at the Cross Creek house with her.

Reva had catered to her, and listened to the story that Lizzie had been pained to tell her. And after she told her, they didn't speak of it anymore, by Lizzie's own choice.

"You need to tell Bill" Reva has said simply, fearing to bring the topic back up, but knowing the suggestion needed to at least be made. "He would want to know."

Lizzie shook her head from her seat beside the window, tracing patterns in the fog the frosty night air was making.

"No Reva. The Bill you used to know would have wanted to know. The Pre-Venezuela Bill. This Bill…he wouldn't care at all."

* * *

"_Miss Spaulding, I hate to be the one to tell you this-"_

"_No, it's okay." Lizzie said, trying to be bright. "I know I seemed shocked and stuff before, but I really want this baby. In fact, you don't understand how much. So it's fine that I'm pregnant this soon."_

_The doctor bit her lip and little, and brought hand up to her temples._

"_You just made this so much harder to tell you." The doctor sighed sadly "But you have to know."_

"_Know what?" Lizzie asked, lip trembling in anticipation. _

"_Miss Spaulding…you were pregnant. The reason it took so long was, I did extensive testing. You conceived in late November…however, somewhere a few weeks back, I would guess about the time the sharp pains started, you suffered a spontaneous abortion."_

"_A spontaneous what?" Lizzie choked out._

"_It's just what we call miscarriages that had nothing to do with anything the mother did. Like some are caused by falls, or trauma, or stress, but since you've experienced none of that, it's more of a spontaneous thing."_

_Lizzie sat heart broken, but she didn't even know the doctor wasn't finished yet._

"_Also Miss Spaulding, the test shows that the toxins from the miscarriage have damaged your womb and cervix a bit. It'll take some further testing later to determine just how much."_

"_What does that mean?"_

"_Well, pending the extent of the damage, it could mean that you can no longer carry children."_

* * *

At Cedars, Bill waited for his own results. The results would tell him whether he would live life in the dark forever, or that his eyesight would improve gradually, with time.

"Good news" Rick said in an almost disinterested voice. "Your sight is coming back."

Bill almost shook with glee, not really picking up the hint if in Rick's voice.

"That's what I like to hear Doc. When exactly?"

"Possibly in the next few days. Just try not to think about it, or you'll strain your eyes and do further damage."

"Sorry, but it's all I will be thinking about."

"It would seem to me you have bigger things to be thinking about." Rick said, more anger reaching his voice.

Bill sat confused for a minute, and then remembered a very important detail. Rick was Lizzie's stepfather.

"Lizzie."

"Yeah, Lizzie." Rick said scathingly "You need to think about what a bastard you've been to her and what she's going through right now. It's the last thing she needed this year, of all years."

"No offense, but Lizzie and I aren't a couple. I mean, she's completely overreacting. I've even tried to reach her and she won't return any of my calls. Reva finally answered and told me all pissy like that Lizzie wanted nothing to do with me right now. My own Aunt, taking Barbie's side. "

Rick just shook his head.

"Yeah, over reacting to the thought of never having children again. It's a pretty trivial issue," He said sarcastically.

Bill's eyes widened, and at that moment, when his eyesight was the furthest thing from his mind, it came back to him.

* * *

"Bill you most certainly cannot go up there, she wants you nowhere near her" Reva said after he had pushed his way into her living room. She was clutching his arm, as he made for the stairwell.

"Hey, I had a right to know this. It's the decent, courteous thing to do. You know, let someone know they're going to be a father, or that they **were** gong to be a father," He said darkly.

"I agree you had a right to know, but the way you've been acting, I didn't blame her for not wanting you involved. She felt like you wouldn't care."

"That's just because she doesn't know me."

"I agree Harlan Billy Lewis III, she doesn't know you, not the you I know. But, she saw glimpses of him, or she would have had no interest in you at all. She wanted to see him, but for some reason you want to hide him from everybody these days."

"Aunt Reva I'm still the same person, I've just grown up. I'm not as naïve and trusting as I use to be, and nobody can stand that I'm no pushover anymore."

Reva cut her eyes.

"If you call _being a grown up_ going around and treating people like dirt."

"Well, I've learned from some of the pros" He said sarcastically.

"I wish you were still little enough for a whippin', because that's exactly what you need"

Bill sighed frustrated, even more affected by what Rick had told him than he was letting on.

"Just let me see her Aunt Reva, please."

Reva thought better of it, but sighed. It was the bet thing to do, and he had at least said please.

"Okay, but you best be on your very best behavior, or I'll get your Daddy over here. Now I hate to treat a man in his thirties like a child but-"

"I know, you'll treat me like an adult when I deserve it. I got it." Bill said over his shoulder, already on his way upstairs.

When he got to her door he froze. He didn't know what to do. Did he knock, or just go on? When he was in the room, did he open with a joke, or did he apologize? What do you do when a woman loses your child? What is the standard? Do they make a Hallmark card for the occasion? How do you make her feel better? How do you make _yourself _feel better?

He heard faint sobs, and thought about turning around and walking right out of the house. Instead, he rapped lightly on the door.

"No supper Reva, I still can't eat" He heard an almost unrecognizable voice call. It was so tiny, so listless.

Bill opened his mouth to speak, but knew the second she heard his voice, that if she was refusing to see him, he would not gain entry into the room. So, he just threw open the door.

The way she looked, he wished he hadn't got his sight back. He could have gone his whole life without seeing her like that.

It was only seven thirty, but she was already bundled up in the bed's covers, though it looked like sleep was the last thing on her mind. Her face was wet, red and shiny. It was so stressed, she'd probably been crying all day, and had taken it up again. She didn't yell at him immediately, because her eyes were pressed closed, apparently trying to avoid the light that the opening door would bring from the hallway.

He walked as lightly as possible, and sat on the edge of her bed, and leaned into to kiss her forehead. It was burning up. She was making herself literally sick.

Through wet lashes, she blinked her eyes open. She didn't scream at him.

"Bill. I'm sorry."

That was all she said.

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F/N: More Bill/Lizzie interaction in coming chapters, I know there hasn't been much so far! Review, please! 


	4. IV

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** It's angsty this chapter, and really sappy, but I thought you guys might appreciate a sweet ending for a change. Please continue to review; I'm really encouraged by those. To be honest, I thought with the low activity with GL fanfics, it would never even get reviewed, so thanks to all of you who have reviewed and enjoyed so far! Hope I continue to please!!

Oh, and I _may _have changed my mind about a return for Jon in this story...not sure, but I'm pondering it.

For _now_ though, here you go...

**For Keeps**

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**IV. "**I was looking for something a little more magical than that."

* * *

"You've got no reason to say you're sorry" Bill said, his voice softer than he'd heard it in a long time.

"Yeah I do, it's my fault, it's all my fault." She choked out, sitting up and hugging her knees

"How could it possibly be your fault Lizzie? These things happen, it doesn't mean that you caused it." He said comfortingly, stroking one of the tears from her cheek

She closed her eyes in pain.

"But it is my fault Bill. I'm being punished. God knows I'm not a good mother. He sees what happened with Sarah, and he knows it's my fault. He's never going to give me the chance to hurt someone the way I hurt Sarah again."

"Hey, it was your granddad that sent Jonathan over that cliff, not you. You had nothing to do with it."

"I had everything to do with it!" Lizzie wailed intensely. "I was so…lovesick over Jonathan that I couldn't see straight. I ignored the one thing that was most important, my precious little baby girl. I wanted to make her a family so bad, that I didn't care who it hurt. And the one who ended up getting hurt was her. She didn't even live a year…"

Bill ran his hand up and down Lizzie's back, soothingly.

"You've got to stop beating yourself up about it. So you made some mistakes-"

"Yeah" She said talking over him, looking up at him again "And I keep making them, over and over. I fall for guys that don't want me, guys that are…no good. Then, I make myself worse than them by chasing them around like an idiot. I ignore the most important things for some cheap minutes worth of romantic feelings. I made myself blind with rage because Jonathan wouldn't love me, wouldn't be my husband. And what happened? I lost Sarah. And now…now that God decided to give me a second chance, I ruin it, and I miscarry my baby because I'm all stressed out over trying to make you want me."

Bill closed his eyes, guilt rushing over him, as he stood up from the bed. This is not what he'd come back to town for. The last thing he wanted to do was get involved with someone as emotionally scarred, heavily laden with traumatic baggage, and down right needy as Lizzie. Dating someone with that many problems would be like dating himself!

But, he was drawn to her. He had been drawn to her from the minute he'd laid eyes on since getting back. He had just tried so hard to fight it because he had an agenda, which didn't include playing footsie with a high-maintenance heiress. She had been fun, and really sweet…but man, this was heavy.

"Lizzie, I don't think it had anything to do with the miscarriage, but you didn't have to do anything to make me want you."

Lizzie flopped back down against her pillows.

"I know. I was stupid for trying. You have Ava. I was wasting my time."

"I'm not with Ava." Bill said honestly "And that's not what I meant. I meant that I already wanted you."

"Yeah, wanted me to go to bed with you, no strings attached, and help you reel in clients by promising them 'favors.' No thanks. I was looking for something a little more magical than that."

"That's your problem Lizzie, you can't just go with the flow, see where things take you. You have to have the fairytale right now, or else."

"Yeah, since I've lived such a fairytale life so far." She said with sarcasm, but only mildly, it was more depressed than cynical.

He rolled his eyes.

"You have to take everything to such a sappy, melodramatic level."

"And you have to be an egotistical jerk who spits on everyone that cares about you!" She snapped back, clinging to the new found anger and fire in her stomach. It was better than the bitter, sorrowful self-loathing she had been wallowing in.

She stood up from the bed, her white cotton nightgown fluttering as she inched closer to him.

"I could have been good for you Bill. I tried so hard to help you, and all you did was have sex with Ava and make fun of me!"

"Oh will you come off it. It's not like I'm your property Lizzie" He said getting more irritated. Ever since he came back to town everyone was dumping on him, criticizing every move he made. "Maybe I just wanted to be with someone for two seconds who didn't act like my mother!"

"I never acted like your mother, and I never said you were my property, you ass!"

He laughed sarcastically.

"No? You didn't yell at me like a jealous wife when you walked in on us? You think that because I slept with you, I'm yours… I bet you're really going to think it now that you've had my kid inside you."

And he immediately regretted saying it. It had come from a cold, hard, dark place inside him. A lot of things he told people lately were coming from that place. He hadn't meant it at all. He hadn't meant to bring up something so tender, so hurtful, in such a callous way.

Her face fell, and for a minute all anger drained out. Her lower lip began trembling, and she clutched her stomach limply with one hand.

"I didn't mean to—I shouldn't have—I'm sorry Lizzie" He said, and reached out to put his hand over hers on her stomach, but she cringed from his touch, and before he knew what was happening, she had stamped her little red hand print right across the side of his face.

"You…are the meanest, coldest, most horrible man I've ever met, and I'm Alan Spaulding's granddaughter! I don't ever want to see you again Bill Lewis. You are a bad, bad man."

He ran his hand over his reddened cheek, and thought about getting mad, but he didn't. He'd deserved that slap. It was a long time coming.

"What you just said was only part true." Bill said looking at her deeply.

Her eyes watered, but no tears fell.

"I meant it all, now just go, before I call for Reva"

But he didn't even think about leaving, in fact he took two steps closer to her, until their bodies were grazing each others, and he was looking right down into her dark eyes.

"No you didn't. You may think I'm a mean, cold, horrible, bad man, but despite all that, you _want_ to me stay."

She shivered, but tried to keep a hard-set look about her face, as he fingered soft material of her nightgown. She closed her eyes, and told him "Just go" again, but it had lost some it's stone like quality, and Bill picked up on that.

"If I thought it's what you _wanted_, I would" He placed his hand on the small of her back, and took hold of one of limp hands with the other.

"What do I _want_ then?" She asked, slowly turning her face up to look in his eyes, their faces now mere inches apart.

"You want me to kiss you, call you Princess, then crawl into that bed and hold you all night and make you feel like everything is going to be all right." Bill said softly.

And before she had time to confirm any of this, Bill brought his hand under her chin and pulled her lips to his, kissing her he slowly, and softly. When they parted, he lifted her from the floor with ease. She felt no heavier than a doll.

"Now, Princess, it's time for you to get some sleep" He laid her softly on the bed, and pulled the covers up around, and leaned in to kiss her lips tenderly once more. As she started to walk away from the bed, she called out for him.

"I thought you were going to hold me and make me feel like everything was okay."

"Just say the magic word." He breathed.

"Stay. Bill," She said, softly patting the bed beside her, "Just stay."

And with that, he climbed in the bed, and draped an arm around her. She turned her back to him at first, and just held onto his arm as he pulled her close, but after a few minutes of just their breathing; she turned around to stare in his eyes.

"You know Bill, I just wanted you to be my hero." She breathed, before nuzzling close to his neck.

Bill wasn't sure if he was ready to be anybody's hero, but he was sure of one thing_. For tonight_, he was going to take care of Lizzie.

* * *

**F/N**: Who is else is dying for this week's GL? I've read spoilers. It's going to be intense! I can't wait. It's 12:49 here, and I'm chomping at the bit! 


	5. V

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay! Been caught up in work, and the real drama of GL! It was a good week, eh? Ooo. Bill is going to be in troooouble when Lizzie finds out he saw Jon first! Glad that he was jealous enough to keep it secret though! Can't wait for next week. Hope Lizzie gets her little girl back!

Another sad/angsty one! I will redeem myself, one of these days!

**For Keeps**

**

* * *

**

**V. "… **but I can never be good for you. I'm not good for anybody."

* * *

They always say that everything looks a little bit better in the light of day. Lizzie found this to be a horrendously untrue fact. In fact, not only was the entire room filled with bright rushing light of day, but she was also wrapped up in the arms Bill Lewis, a man that she had even more feelings for than she cared to admit. He was still asleep, but his arms engulfed her small frame. His steady breath was the only thing keeping her calm.

When she looked at him she thought about what had almost been. They had almost been parents together. It could have been really great for them. He would have been weirded out at first, but he would have came around. He would have came around and been a great father. Billy would have been a great granddad for her son or daughter, and Vanessa would have been an amazing grand mother. Everything would have been perfect.

Except, it wasn't perfect. The baby was gone. Just like everything good in her life always went away. Just like Sarah had gone away.

And she realized that as perfect as her family could have been, the thing that was wrong. She was what was wrong. All of her life she had been an awful person. She had schemed, and did horrible things. Things that she couldn't take back. Things that had cost her the right to have anything good.

She slid out from Bill's grasp, and took her seat by the window, pulling her knees to her chest, and resting her head against the cotton of her nightdress.

Reva peeked open the door.

"Lizzie, the memorial service starts in an hour and a half, if you're up to coming."

Lizzie nodded, fighting back tears. "I'll be there. It's to remember my little girl after all."

Reva glanced at Bill's sleeping frame wrapped in the covers, still fully clothed.

"Did you two patch things up?" She whispered.

Lizzie glanced longingly at Bill, his brown hair over his closed eyes, his chest softly rising and falling. She wiped a tear and looked over at Reva.

"We having nothing to patch up…we're nothing to each other, and that's the way it's got to stay."

"Lizzie-"

"Reva, I've made up my mind."

"I know he said some hurtful things, but he came here, he stayed with you. He wants to be here for you Lizzie. And I know him, deep down, he's a good guy."

"I know" Lizzie said quietly, almost inaudibly, tears still streaming "And that's why he's got to stay the hell away from _me_."

* * *

Back at his own place, Bill stared at himself in the mirror. When he'd woke up at Cross Creek, the place had been empty. He knew the memorial was today, but Lizzie could have at least woken him up. He would have gone with her, held her hand, been there for her. She was mourning the loss of two kids now, and he didn't want her to do it alone.

Who was he kidding? She had people. She had Reva, and his dad, and even Beth and Lillian to take care of her. She didn't need him there.

Just as he was about to lie down on his bed to try and process everything that had been going on, make any sense at all out of it, he heard a knock on his door. A little pulling feeling in his gut longed for Lizzie to be standing in the frame when he pulled it open. For her to just fall into his arms, and let him take care of her.

No such luck.

It was the long, lean, and leggy form of a certain Spaulding intern, not the small blonde Spaulding girl herself.

Ava Peralta walked right passed Bill into his room, a chipper smiled plastered on her face.

"So, I thought that since everyone at Spaulding is going to be at the memorial fro Sarah today, we could go over have some fun in my new office" She said, sitting seductively on the edge of his bed, her mini skirt pulling up her thighs.

"Not really up for it."

Ava pouted, but attempted to pull him on top of her.

"Sure you are-"

Bill tried to distract her.

"So, aren't you supposed to like…go to this memorial? I mean Alan had you plan the whole thing, aren't you supposed to be there?"

Ava rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"I figured that he'd be too upset today to notice. I mean, I was already there while they were setting up and stuff, and it was pretty emotional."

"Was Lizzie there?" Bill blurted, before thinking tactfully.

Ava nodded, eyebrows cocked. "Of course. She was probably the first one there, besides Alan of course. "

"Was she…okay?"

"She was crying…a lot. It was a little much, I personally think she should lay off the theatrics-"

"She lost her babies Ava!"

Ava eyed Bill curiously. "You mean 'baby'. There was only one."

"Yeah, that's what I meant. Listen, why don't we go to the memorial instead, you know, pay our respects."

"No thank you, I've spent enough time thinking about that memorial while I was planning it. I wash my hands of it…why do you want to anyway? Lizzie is creepy. She's so obsessed with you, if you go; she's going to take it the wrong way."

"It's hard to explain, but I just have to go." Bill said, going for his coat.

"Wait a minute. Please don't tell me you've actually forged authentic feelings for her? Bill, she's a nut job! I should know."

"Don't say things like that about her" Bill protested harshly "She's been through a lot. She'd already been through a lot, and I put her through more, so I have to go. I have to be there for her."

Ava stood up in a huff.

"Fine. But when she drags you down with all her crazy clinginess and neediness, don't you dare think you can call me and have me rush over to get naked anymore."

Bill had a strong feeling he wouldn't call Ava ever again, but that if he did, she would likely come running just as hard as before. It was just the type of girl she seemed to be.

* * *

Bill slid into the back row of seats of the small church. The pews were pretty filled. Alan had made sure that his great-granddaughter's memorial was not sparse on mourners. Through all the people though, his eyes easily targeted Lizzie. Her face red and shiny, her hands tightly clenched on her lap.

No sooner had he walked in, and then was joined at his seat by his father, who had been sitting closer, behind Lizzie.

"What are you doing?" Bill asked

"Figured you might need a shoulder to lean on…Reva told me about what happened" Billy said quietly.

Bill shook it off "I'm fine. I'm just...here to pay my respects."

"You're here because you're worried about Lizzie…because you care about her."

Bill looked darkly over at his Dad, but said nothing. He directed his attention back to the front, where Lizzie was now taking the podium shakily. She had to grasp both sides of it to stay standing.

"A year ago today, I lost my daughter." Lizzie began, and took a shallow breath. "Not one day goes by that I don't think of her. Her face, her little hands, her little feet. The way she smiled for no reason. The way those smiles made me feel." Lizzie bit her lip, and looked down at her hands. Bill looked to the floor as well.

"When I lost Sarah, I lost everything. I lost the one good thing I'd ever done. I never could understand how someone so beautiful and pure could have came out of me…and maybe that's why she had to go away." Lizzie choked back tears, but they fell hotly down her cheeks anyway. "I never deserved Sarah, and she deserved way better than me. I only hope that up in Heaven Jon and Tammy are taking real good care of her." lan scoffed ath this, but Lizze kept on going.

"And I hope that she knows as bad as I am, as bad a mother as I was to her, that I loved her with all my heart…and that at least…at least three times a day…I wish that it had been me instead of her. And even though it kills me, I know God is never going to give me the chance to hurt anybody like I hurt her again."

And with that, Lizzie broke down, and almost passed out. Alan rushed forward to try and aide her, but Billy was there before him.

"Clear out from around her" Billy aid gruffly to Alan and Alex, who were pawing at her like vultures. "She just needs some air."

Billy put his arm around her, and helped her out the front doors of the church, as they walked by his pew, Bill held his hand out to graze hers as they went by. She just looked at him blankly.

When Billy reentered, the organs were playing, and people were going up one by one to light candles for Sarah, before Alan got up to talk.

Bill went forward and lit a candle, but didn't take his seat back to hear Alan talk. Instead, he went out the front door.

* * *

Lizzie was sitting in the grass, under a tree near the graveyard. He walked over with his hands in his pockets.

She didn't look up at him as he hovered over her.

"So. You sure know how to blow a guy off," He said lightly.

She didn't saying anything still, just tore a blade of grass from the ground.

Bill kneeled in front of her.

"That stuff you just said in there, if you believe that, than you're crazy Lizzie. You're are not a bad person, and God isn't trying to protect anybody from you."

Lizzie finally looked in his eyes.

"Stay away from me Bill."

"Why?" He asked quickly "Because you want me to leave you alone, or because you're afraid I'm going to hurt you more. Because I don't want to hurt you Lizzie…I want to be with you." Bill took her shaking hand in both of his.

Lizzie put her other hand on top for a second, and traced the spaces between his knuckles, giving him a deep longing stare. He went in to kiss her, but all of sudden; she pushed him back, and stood up hastily.

"No Bill. This isn't gong to work. We…just won't work"

He stood up, brushing himself off, and looked down at her. "Listen, I know you're scared, to start something new, and so am I, but I think we can make it work. If you just let me try, I think I can be good for you."

Lizzie pursed her lips in pain, and looked at him teary eyed

"But that's just it. I know you can, but I can never be good for you. I'm not good for anybody."


	6. VI

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** Thanks some more for the mainly positive reviews! Oh, and sorry about my typos being distracting. Between work, and all the stuff my son has going on lately, I have to pump these chapters out pretty quick (I have the storyline playing out in my head, but it's hard to convey to words!), and try to proofread, but sometimes I miss a lot of things! I will try harder, but I can't make any promises XD

I'm mad at Bill right now, by the way. He made a big 'no-no' on Friday. I feel like he did it with good intentions, but he was so arrogant to think that he could handle Alan. No one can! I just hope Lizzie forgives him.

**For Keeps** **

* * *

**

**VI. **"Are you still in love with Jonathan?"

* * *

Bill Lewis was relentless. If he decided that he wanted something, he was going to go after it, one hundred percent, no holds barred. Lewis men always get what they want in the end. And Bill had decided that he wanted to be with Lizzie, and nothing, and nobody was going to get in his way. Not even Lizzie herself.

It would be different if she just had no interest in him. That would force him to go another path. But the fact of the matter was, Bill knew Lizzie had feelings for him. He knew that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Their attraction was simply undeniable. It was something he had fought like hell, but now he knew that it was something worth fighting _for_.

He hadn't really got the chance to argue his case outside the church, not for long. Almost as soon as Lizzie had announced she was no good for him, the service had ended, and people had started pouring out. Lizzie had quickly been engulfed by almost the entire town, and Bill had just been left to ponder the things she had said on his own.

He was spending way too much time inside his own brain lately, and he didn't like it at all. The worst part was, as good as he sort of felt that he was finally starting to _feel_ again, he hated that his first feelings had been ones of sadness over losing a child he hadn't even known existed. But, at least he had the good feelings that Lizzie gave him.

She looked at him the way his Mom used to look at his Dad. That look like she knew he was going to protect her, like even though he was a cocky brat, she completely trusted him. She looked at him like she needed him. That's what Bill needed more than anything right now; to _be_ needed.

The fact that she thought she was bad for him was ridiculous. He knew she was just letting all the grief get to her, letting it make her feel guilty. In Bill's opinion she had no reason to feel guilty. Life had just been dealing her a bum hand, and so far she had been playing it as best as she could. She may look little and weak, but considering what she'd been through, Bill thought she was one of the strongest women he'd ever met.

She was back at her own room at the Beacon now. He hadn't tried to call or go by for almost a week. He figured she needed space. After all, this had been a hard week for her, even besides the miscarriage. More than anything he wanted to be by her side, getting her through it, but sometimes things didn't work out exactly like you planned.

But, after a week, he was tired of being away from her. Even before everything happened, he had seen her at least once a day. A whole week without seeing her at all had been hell. It had confirmed his feelings for her completely, and he was ready to take action.

Even though his father had been against their pairing at the start, he had come around. He saw that Lizzie was the one thing making his son human again, and their was no way he was going to let that golden opportunity slip through his fingers. For that reason, he jumped at the chance to help Bill out when he needed. This help came in the form of phoning Lizzie and asking her to meet him at the construction site to talk business.

She had complied, not knowing that it would be the younger Lewis male awaiting her at the remnants of what had once been the construction trailer.

Clad in a crème colored tailored sweater and matching scarf to ward off the cold, she showed up a few seconds after Bill himself did. She realized it had been a trap, and started to make a get away before he turned around, but she was too slow. He had seized her elbow gently.

"I thought I could trust your Dad," She muttered sarcastically.

Bill smiled "You can trust his son, that's for sure."

Lizzie tried to force a half smile "I guess."

Without saying anything, Bill just instinctively pushed back the soft hair from her face, tracing her jaw line with his fingertips.

She swallowed, and tried to pull her gaze away from his fiery one.

"I need to go. I've got a lot of stuff to do." She lied blankly, and backed up.

"Don't do this Lizzie."

"Do what?" She asked, feigning obliviousness.

"Push me away, and try to mask the feelings you have for me. We're adults. We can move past all this bad, and build something good. But I can't do it on my own, you have to try."

"I am moving on," She said defensively, though not very convincingly. "I've been doing a lot of work. I made two deals this week, aren't you jealous?" She tried to lilt her voice playfully, but it didn't hold the same bantering air it used to when they bickered.

Bill just looked at his feet, at a loss for words.

"Lizzie, I want to actually do this, you know, try and be something."

"We are something Bill, we are two people who work for the same company, and we are both people who are care about Billy, we are-"

"Falling for each other" Bill, said without missing a beat.

Lizzie pursed her lips, and downcast her eyes as well.

"I can't do this Bill. I thought I could, but I just can't."

"Because you think you're bad, because you think you don't deserve the sort of happiness we could bring each other? Because that's so wrong Lizzie. You aren't even the worst of the two of us, I've done way worse than you."

She just stayed quiet.

He blew out a hard sigh. "It's more than that, isn't it?"

She nodded slowly.

"Don't get me wrong. It's partly that. I think you could do way better. I think I don't think I deserve true happiness, after what I cost my babies. But also…I just don't want to start something again, because…it just won't last. It never does."

"We don't know that" He said resting his grasp on her shoulder "We've got to actually try. This, this could be the real deal Lizzie."

"I thought I had the real deal before" She sniffled "I mean, I know it was stupid. I know Jonathan loved Tammy, and that I was just his mistake, but after Sarah was born, and I saw the way he looked at her, and even the way I thought he looked at me sometimes…I honestly thought this is **it**. It's what I've been waiting for, hoping for, dreaming for. I've got love, I've got family. And then, everything just fell apart, and I tried to keep it together the only way I knew how…and I screwed up, and the people I loved died."

Bill's eyes sort of hardened.

"Are you still in love with Jonathan?"

She was quiet for a long minute, just blowing smoky breath.

"He's gone." She finally breathed.

"That's not what I asked." Bill said seriously.

"Jonathan will always be a piece of me…a huge piece. He fathered my child; he tried to take care of me. Do I still love him? Yeah. Am I sure I loved him with that 'end all, be all -once upon a star - over the moon- kind of love' ? No. I don't know. I didn't have the chance to get to see."

Bill stayed somber, kicking the dirt around with his feet, angry with himself for being jealous of guy without a pulse.

"You're right Lizzie. Jonathan is gone. He's gone, and he's not coming back, no look at me-" She had tried to start pushing past him at those words "I'm not trying to be callous. But if the reason that you won't get involved with me is because you still have this hope somewhere deep inside that a miracle is going to happen, and your family will be back, then you're living in a dream world baby, and I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm just trying to be honest."

Lizzie looked as if she might break down, but took a shallow breath and bit her lip, fighting the tears back victoriously.

"I know you're right" She nodded "It hurts, but I know it's the truth."

All of a sudden, she hugged him. And not just quickly. She leaned in, buried her face in his chest, and wrapped her arms tightly around. As serious as the moment was, Bill relished every second of it. Though Jonathan had been the topic of their conversation a few seconds ago, he knew he had nothing to fear.

Jonathan was dead, Lizzie was getting over his memory, and Bill had replaced him as her pillar of strength.

Accepting it wasn't going to be easy, but she had Bill. She wasn't alone. The guy she cared for finally cared back, and together, they could honestly make something real. She wasn't sure if she could be whole again, but if Bill wanted her, then she wanted to try.

* * *

Reva Shayne sat on her couch curled up with a nice mystery book, and a hot mug of coffee, with her own little additive. She was trying to drain out after the stress of the past few weeks. Tammy's memorial had been heart wrenching. Sarah's had been worse. She'd had to watch Lizzie suffer that much, knowing that she held the key to end her pain.

After all of this, along with convincing Jonathan via phone calls to stay away from Tammy's memorial service, she was pretty tired. Jeffery had a full plate at the office, and she was just lazing about trying to forget all the problems.

She heard a noise, and almost jumped a mile. It was coming from the kitchen. She wasn't a scared person, but she was sure that it was footsteps she'd just heard. She heard another rustle, and was now convinced she was not alone in this house. It wasn't Jeffery. He always burst right into the room, and he would use the front door. He was the only one with a key to any door.

She laid down the book quietly, and tiptoed toward the fireplace, and swiftly picked up a fire poker. After taking a breath, she pushed open the kitchen door, and held up the poker.

She froze in midair though. The rugged looking, unshaven man standing in her kitchen was familiar to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm home…Mom."

Reva smiled, but a worry filled her heart. She loved him, but no matter what this visit meant, she knew he was bringing stormy weather with him.

The wind had blew hurricane Jonathan back home, and the forecast was sunny, but with a chance of hell fire.


	7. VII

**Disclaimer: **

**A/N**:

**For Keeps**

* * *

**V. _"_**_I have no intention of being anything but good to you Princess"_

* * *

For the first time in she didn't know how long, Lizzie Spaulding was actually feeling okay. The ache was constant, always throbbing away, but at least at this moment she was able to feel some hopeful brighter feelings along with that.

It was hard not to feel hopeful when you were eating breakfast with a table full of handsome Lewis men. Billy had gotten this new place on lease as soon as he had finished with rehab (being allowed to do the remainder on outpatient status) because he was tired of the drab scenery of the Beacon. He had offered to let Bill stay with him, but his son hadn't fully accepted yet, but had accepted his invitation to come over for breakfast.

He'd brought Lizzie along because he hadn't let her out of his sight the passed few days. They'd slept in his room twice, and even once in her room. But they were always together. Bill had no problem with that at all.

Also seated around the little cedar table littered with biscuits, eggs, bacon, and hash browns, was Josh. He and Cassie were having problems, and he was crashing with his big brother for a few days. He had tried to stay with Reva and Jeffery at Cross Creek (despite the awkwardness) but she had strangely turned him away. She'd been acting really weird the last several days.

Rounding out the brood of Lewis men was Dylan. The kinder of the young Lewis boys, Dylan just smiled and listened tentatively to the rest of the family's conversations. The only one quieter than him was Lizzie herself.

Suddenly Lizzie felt Bill's arm slid around her shoulders and tousle her hair, and she realized they were all looking at her.

"Earth to little darlin' " Billy laughed waving a hand in her face.

"Sorry." She said slightly embarrassed "Did you ask me a question?"

"Yeah." Dylan said, "I just wanted to know what the heck you're doing with my little brother."

"He's jealous." Bill smirked, taking a drink from his glass "I told him I was quite the catch."

Lizzie rolled her eyes, but laid her hand on Bill's leg under the table. The closer she was to Bill physically, the better she felt.

"He's not all bad." She said, looking at him regretting the ego stroke this was undoubtedly giving him. "Under all that broody moroseness, he's sort of charming."

Bill crunched his bacon. "And, if you hadn't noticed, I'm pretty hot."

The table laughed, Billy being the loudest, making side comments about how he got the looks from him. Dylan seemed more serious about his question though, and he did laugh, but quickly combatted another question, at his brother this time.

"Yeah. Hot stuff. Ava think so too?"

Everybody's laughter stopped, and Billy coughed uncomfortably. Lizzie squirmed a bit under Bill's arm. He looked over at her to gage her reaction. She didn't look maddened. Maybe a hint of jealousy, but her look just appeared to a bit downcast again.

"It's really hot in here, I think I need to breathe a little mornin' frost in. Mind joining me darlin'?" Billy asked good naturedly, as his sons just stared each other down.

Lizzie nodded, and got up to follow Billy, removing her hand from Bill's leg, but not before he tenderly grasped her fingers for few seconds, and locked eyes with her.

As soon as they left the room, Bill rounded his glare back to his brother.

"Anyone ever told you you're a real mood killer bro?"

"Anyone ever tell you you're a real ass, _little_ bro?"

They just continued to stare, making Josh very uncomfortable. This was better than being under the same roof as Will though, way better.

"For your information, Ava and I are done. Actually, we never really were anything at all. Not that I feel like I owe you any insight to my life.

"I'm just surprised. You two were going at it like rabbits about a week ago. It's just hard to believe that you're a one woman man all of a sudden."

Bill thought about it really hard for as second, and stood up, pushing his chair under the table.

"Believe it."

* * *

Lizzie liked Billy's new porch. It had a cozy feel to it. She liked the view it had, and even the rocking chairs on it. She hoped to one day have a house of her own. Ideas like that seemed so foreign to her now. She had dreamed of having a big house before. One to raise Sarah in. Room for all her toys, and yard big enough for her to run, and have all the pets she wanted. No mansion. Just a house.

Thoughts like this were useless now, and Lizzie thought sometimes that maybe all normalcy was out of reach for her.

It didn't bother Billy that she was quiet as they stood on the porch together. She was more comfortable with Billy than she was with anyone in the world. Even more so than his son. She loved being with Bill, and she felt the same safeness she felt with the elder Lewis, but with Billy she felt no need to impress him at all. He cared for her for what she already was. He cared the way her father used to before his mind went. Maybe he even cared deeper than Phillip ever had.

Billy finally spoke.

"All that in there, its just sibling stuff sweet pea. Boy talk. It's got nothin' to do with you. Dylan didn't mean to upset you. He was just trying to get a rise out of Bill."

Lizzie nodded. " I know. I'm not upset, not really. I mean, Bill's been great to me this week, but if I'm not what he wants, then I want him to happy. I doubt he can find that with my anyhow."

"Well why in the world wouldn't he be able to? My boy's lucky he's got you, real lucky."

Lizzie grimaced "I'm toxic Billy."

Billy looked sternly back at her. "Stop saying things that. I won't have it. You are a fine woman, and my son is one hell of a lucky man, and he better know it."

"He does." Bill said, opening the screen door, and stepping out on to the porch. He forced a smile "Boy, I felt my ears burning. I should have known I was being discussed. I seem to be a hot topic these days."

"Excuse me you two, I'm going to go in and inform Joshua that he's to earn his keep here by washin' all them dishes." Billy said, before brushing past his son.

"I don't believe I've told you how pretty you look this morning." Bill smiled, sauntering toward her, hands in his pockets.

"I figured you'd get around to it." She smiled.

"Well let me tell you now, that you look indescribably gorgeous right this minute, and every other minute for that matter" Bill leaned in, and kissed just beneath her jaw line. His hands came out of his pockets, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, backing her into the porch railing, sweetly opening his mouth over hers, as she eagerly returned the gesture, her hands gripping at the top of his shirt.

He smiled contentedly, once they had use of their mouths again, and Lizzie tried to regain her breath. It was chilly out here, but Lizzie was more than a little warm under her collar.

She returned his smile, and smoothed his shirt where she had been gripping it to deepen their kiss.

"Let's get out of here, it suddenly got real dull in there." He offered, unwrapping his arms, and taking her hand.

"Bill. You're Dad wants to spend time with you. In fact, maybe I should leave you guys alone for a while."

Bill was having none of that; he didn't release her hand at all, despite her trying to inch away. "Oh no. You're staying right here where I can stare at you all day long."

She let go of his grip, but brought her hands up either side of his face and held it. She didn't say anything, but just looked him over.

"You studying me over?" He smiled, putting his hands over hers.

"Mhmm. Searching for the truth in your eyes."

"What truth is that?"

"What you really want with me." She said quietly, and Bill's smirk vanished. He pressed her hands tighter against his face, and his breathing picked up.

"Lizzie, Dylan was just being difficult in there. He thinks I'm Dad's favorite, always has. He was just trying to cut me down, don't let something he said bother you."

"It has nothing to do with that. I know you have sex with Ava. I caught you."

"Had." Bill reminded her "I only share my bed with one woman now."

Lizzie was a bit relieved by this, but wondered if she should be. Part of her said that Bill would just hurt her all over again. But a bigger part needed her to trust in something, and Bill Lewis was shaping up to be the very thing she could trust.

"Be good to me, Bill." She suddenly said, sounding way more desperate and needy than she'd ever wanted to sound again "Okay? Just promise that you're really going to try and love me, that you'll be take care of me, and I swear I'll be good to you. And promise that you won't hurt me Bill, that you'll stay-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Bill said, holding either of her arms, her body shaking now. "Now maybe I didn't myself clear enough a few days ago. I have no intention of being anything but good to you Princess. All that cat and mouse stuff, as fun as it was, I'm done with it. I just want to hold you, you and only you, in my arms at night, and make you forget all this bad stuff. "

Lizzie was ashamed of herself for flashing her weak side again, but glad that Bill still seemed to be in earnest. She nodded, smiling slightly.

"If I tell you something, you promise you won't get mad?" She asked hesitantly.

Bill smiled "Tell me anything."

She breathed in hard. "Bill…I think I'm in love with you."

He didn't say it back, and that was okay to Lizzie. She wanted him to wait until he was ready, until he was sure. Until it meant forever.

But, Bill Lewis did pull her into one mind-blasting kiss, his hands all tangled up in her hair, his lips gliding all over her.

The kiss only ended when Bill peaked out and threatened to turn the hose on them.

* * *

For a week her son had been home. Reva was overcome with delight, but she couldn't help wondering every time she looked in Jon's eyes whether he was a ticking time bomb or not. He seemed to be normal. Normal with Sarah. Normal with her and Jeffery. But, Reva knew that he must have ulterior motives for being back here.

His explanation had just been that he missed her, and he wanted to give Sarah a little time to spend with her grandmother. Reva couldn't argue with how good that felt, but it had been real hell keeping everyone but Jeffery away from this house all week.

She had tried to convince Jon that it was time to tell Lizzie the truth. Let her hold her baby girl again; know that she was still among the living. So that she could stop blaming herself for Sarah's death. And his for that matter. Jon wouldn't. He wasn't ready to tell Lizzie yet, wasn't sure if he could trust her.

Then, something really good happened. Reva was around to hear Alan announce his plan's to go to Switzerland for three months to over see a Spaulding project being constructed there. With Gus and Natalia now married, Rick and Beth anxiously awaiting their child, Lizzie not speaking to him at all anymore, and every other relationship he had in town strained, he thought it would be better for him to get away.

Reva was overjoyed. This meant that Jon could stay longer.

To Jon, after some thinking, it meant something else.

"I'm going to tell her Ma." He said, watching Sarah as she slept on Reva's couch, all propped up on pillows.

Reva looked up from what she was writing.

"Are you sure?"

Jon kept looking at Sarah breathing, imagining how he would feel if she were taken from him, and being convinced that she was dead. He was unable to breathe almost. He knew that this was how Lizzie was feeling all day, every day.

He'd been watching her since he got back in town. She'd changed. She was better. So much better. She didn't even seem like a Spaulding, at times, anymore, and he hadn't even seen her go anywhere near Alan once since he returned. She was always with the Lewis's, and the Lewis's, Jon could trust. Well, he could trust Billy, and his brother Dylan, and even Josh. He wasn't quite that sure about Bill. That guy seemed pretty thick.

His mind was made up. Lizzie seemed mature enough to be what Sarah needed now. And since she wasn't acting all crazy anymore, who was Jon to keep her away from her daughter?

"I'm sure." Jon said, nodding, looking intensely at his daughter. "But, as soon as Alan's heading back this way, we're on our way out, and Lizzie will just have to deal with that."


	8. VIII

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way affiliated with CBS, Guiding Light, Daniel Cosgrove, or Marcy Rylan.

**Author's Note:** A new update, FINALLY! Sorry, just been busy. I got a couple chapters piled up, so I'll post 'em in the next few days. Glad you guys are enjoying!

**For Keeps**

* * *

**VIII**. _"Lizzie Spaulding, you are going crazy."_

* * *

He watched her sleep, and he knew that even though he'd come back here with an agenda, that she was the real reason he ended up back in Springfield. After all the horrible things that had happened to him in Venezuela, some of which he didn't even want to think about, he was here now, and he was content. Maybe even happy.

He reached around and ran his fingers down her back, making soft lines, through the shear cotton of her pink nightgown. She was usually a heavy sleeper, but right as his fingertips grazed the small of her back, her lashes began fluttering. The light was harsh at first and she winced, but when she noticed those eyes resting so softly on her, she smiled, and took in a pleased breath.

"Morning."

"Say it again." In the back of her mind Lizzie had known that this would be the first thing that came out of Bill's mouth when they awoke. She'd had to say it least a dozen times last night.

"Bill..."

"Just once, you know, to start the day off." He smiled brightly, locking her small legs between his under the covers.

Lizzie scrunched up her face, but wasn't even able to fake indifference. As much as he loved to hear it, she loved to say it. It was after all, the best feeling on earth.

"I love you."

He wrapped his arms about her, and pulled her until she was lying on top of him, her body pressing to his.

"You mean it?"

"Of course."

Saying it gave Lizzie a million raging butterflies in her stomach, but even though he wasn't ready to respond with a reflective admission, his reaction was at least encouraging. He didn't scorn her love as many others in the past had. He drank it in, like an addiction. Clinging to it, like a life raft.

The previous night had been the most entirely passionate night of Lizzie's life. Hearing that Lizzie was in love with him had opened Bill up, made him flash that vulnerable side that used to be his everyday façade. He hadn't been able to say it in return, not yet, but it had showed in the way he held her, a little tighter. The way he kissed her, a little deeper. The way he said her name, just a little sweeter.

She lay silently with her face on his chest, his hand going smoothly up and down her back.

"Thanks for last night." She said, tilting her head so that she could look up at his face.

"You're welcome" He smirked widely.

She nudged him in the rib. "Not _that_ part perv. Well, not _just_ that part."

"You have to admit though, _that _part was pretty damn good last night."

Lizzie reluctantly agreed. "But that parts always good with you Bill. No…stop getting all triumphant looking, I'm trying to be real with you. I mean, you treated me so good last night Bill. You listened to me, and held my hand tight… and I felt like…"

"Like what?" He prodded.

"Like… you never took your eyes off me."

"Why would I want to?" He asked seriously.

"I don't know. I'm just…you know, this creepy girl, who got way to attached to you way too quick. This girl with serious amounts of issues. But last night, you made me feel wanted Bill, and I can't remember ever feeling that good."

What had Jonathan Randall done to this girl? Bill wondered, staring down in her big sparkling eyes, her body shivering against him. If the guy wasn't dead already, he would kill him for making Lizzie feel so useless.

He gently rolled her from his torso, and in a second was now the one on top

"In case you still have any doubt baby, I do want you." He breathed, planting a kiss on her forehead "I want you." He pressed his lips to her right cheek this time "I want you." Her left cheek received the warm graze of lips this time "I want you." With the last one, he pierced her with a slow and tender, yet urgent kiss of her lips. His lips were so tight on hers, that they were practically bruised by the time he stopped for a breath.

"I won't let you regret it." She promised quietly, still breathy.

Bill had already started sliding the cotton of her gown up her thigh when his phone went off.

"Forget it." He said, planting her with quick teasing kisses. "Whoever they are, they're not important."

"It could be Billy." She said, with shallow breaths "He might need you."

"I think you need me more." He smiled.

"Bill."

He looked pouty, but he lifted his self off of her, and trudged over to his phone.

"It's Reva." He said, before clicking it on "Hey Aunt Reva, I'd love to chat, but I'm really busy. Got something very important going on so—What? Really? No. I'll come. I'll be there in a few. Huh? Why? Okay, she can stay here and wait for me I guess. Bye."

Lizzie sat up, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Apparently something urgent about Uncle Josh. She needs me right away."

"Oh, I'll come." She said…slinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"No. She said just me, just family for some reason."

Lizzie looked a little disappointed, but smiled softly at Bill anyway, as he found his gray thermal shirt and pulled it on.

She crawled down to the end of the bed, and he leaned down and cupped her face, kissing her once more.

"I'll be right back. Don't get dressed, and don't even think of moving off that bed."

"Yes sir." She agreed kissing his fingers before he took his hand away, and he thought quickly about ignoring what ever situation Josh was having, and stripping his shirt back off. He loved her angry face, but her sweet and innocent look was just as appealing. It made him want to wrap her up in his arms and protect her.

"Back soon, real soon" He said, walking toward the door before he really did change his mind.

"Won't be soon enough." She said blowing him a kiss.

* * *

"I hated lying to him like that" Reva said looking at Jon sternly, as he wrapped Sarah in her coat.

"Hey, I've got no beef with Bill. But when Lizzie finds out what I've done, she's going to go bananas at first, and having her big gorilla in the mix won't help. He'll take her side, and try to fight me, and it won't be good for Sarah. I need her to be alone when she hears this. She's scary enough on her own, when she hasn't got a hired gun."

"Bill is hardly a hired gun. He's her…well, I'm not sure what he is. Her boyfriend maybe? I just know he cares about her."

Jon scoffed a little.

"You know, that's not a scoffing matter Jonathan. You said yourself, she's changed. There is no reason a guy couldn't have real feelings for her."

"You think he does?'

"Bill? I don't see why not, well not a reason that would lie in her. He's a little different since he got back to town, so I'm not sure. But, he's there is all know."

"Yeah well, today he'll be here, while I'm there, and you better keep him here a while. I don't want any surprises."

"Okay. I'll do what I have to."

"I mean it. If it means clubbing him over the head, club him."

"Hopefully it won't come to that extreme"

"You never know." Jon said, pulling Sarah's cap on, and heading for the door.

"Okay baby girl, time to go meet your Mommy."

* * *

Even in his apartment, surrounded by his clothes, his stuff, and even his smell, without Bill there, Lizzie started to get that familiar lonely feeling. When he was there, she just concentrated on how she felt about him, all the good stuff. He was gone now though, and she had to fight to keep her mind off of how lonely she truly felt.

She stood in front of Bill's wall mirror, gown pulled up, examining her stomach. Her hand trembled as she ran it across the flat surface. She thought with anguish about the fact that for a little while this same stomach had housed the hope of starting her life over. Of being a mother again. Now, pending how much damage was done, she may never have that hope again.

She heard Bill's voice, intense and deep in her mind, _"In case you still have any doubt baby, I do want you."_

Sighing, and letting her gown fall back down over her stomach, she wondered how much Bill would want her once they told her for sure that she was practically a barren shell.

Her ears perked up. Had she really just heard that? A baby's babbling? Lizzie could have sworn she just heard the cooing of little child. She listened hard for it again, but didn't hear anything. She looked at herself in the mirror, and shook her head, splashing water on her face.

"Lizzie Spaulding, you are going crazy."

She opened the bedroom door, and really thought she was going crazy, because two dead people were seated on the edge of her bed.


	9. IX

**Disclaimer: **Don't own GL, though I often wish I did so I could change a few things! I don't own Marcy or Daniel either. Except for his dimples, those _are_ mine!

**A/N**: Is Lizzie so forgiving in my story? FAT CHANCE! I love this story on the show, but Lizzie has been way to mellow and okay with Jon. No slap or anything! I would have put that pretty face in the hospital in a New York minute. My little Lizzie is a mommy-scorned, and thank goodness she has her Harlan Billy Lewis II to aide her XD.

Don't worry pandie, I love my perky/quirky Lizzie too. Just have to show a little wiltage here and there to illustrate all the emotional drainage that comes with a miscarriage. Silver tongued Lizzie is still here though:D

Enjoy all……keep reviewing, it encourages me! Sorry for typos still, my time is limited. Blame my son!

**For Keeps**

* * *

**IX. **_**" **__She came from me, she's a part of my body, a piece of my heart."_

* * *

"Jonathan is alive?" Bill said in disbelief.

He was sitting on Reva's couch at Cross Creek, with her and Jeffery. Their phony story hadn't held up for very long, and to stop Bill from charging out the door in anger for lying to him, they'd had to spill the truth. Jon had said by any means necessary, and Reva hadn't seen anything to club him with.

"That's right." Reva said nodding solemnly.

Bill stood, trying to wrap his brain around this.

"So, for a year…an entire year, Lizzie has been mourning the death of her baby, and all this time your son has had her, running around the country, all for revenge over his dead lover?"

Reva shook her head.

"Jonathan taking Sarah had nothing to do with revenge, if he'd wanted revenge he would have stayed here and fought Alan. He did what was best for his daughter though, and took her away."

"It was best for Sarah to be denied her mother?" Bill practically screamed, not believing his ears. "Her mother who loves her, who still cries out for her in her sleep every night? Who's been left with this gaping hole in her heart, and void in her life? Yeah. His choice was clearly stellar."

Reva sighed, closing her eyes, knowing Bill's rant reeked of truth.

"You have to understand, the Lizzie you've seen since you got back to town isn't the Lizzie that was here before Tammy died. She was acting crazy, just like her granddad. She's the one that went to him, and he in turn went after Jonathan, and Tammy wound up dead. Jonathan felt Sarah was best to be away from her."

Bill clutched his fists, rage pulsing through his body. Flashes of Lizzie's anguish pouring through his mind. All the times when he was absolutely sure she was broke to a point beyond fixing, crying torrents of tears over her daughter, blaming herself for their deaths. And that daughter was alive, and here Reva sat justifying that monster Jonathan Randall's actions in this mess.

"I agree with you Bill, it was horrible. But it was best. Things have changed now. I told Jonathan he needed to tell Lizzie, and after seeing the changes she's made his self, he decided it was the right time."

Bill was still shaking a bit with anger.

"So, Lizzie makes a few little mistakes, has a heat of the moment lapse of judgment, and Jonathan makes the decision to take her daughter away. Man, I'm sure glad God doesn't make such wrathful decisions. We'd all be in Hell right now. So is that who Jon-Boy outs himself on the same level with? God. He sure does seem to be playing the part in other people's lives. Especially Lizzie's."

Reva couldn't argue, Bill was angry, but he was making perfect sense.

"Well, if he's there, Lizzie must be freaking out, I have to get back to her."

Jeffery stood up and walked toward him, and Bill looked to Reva.

"Let me guess, you two are supposed to keep me here."

She nodded.

"So I have to sit here while Jonathan goes over there and…finishes Lizzie off? Because he pretty much killed her already last year."

Jeffery took Bill by the arm, to try and usher him to a chair, but Bill struggled a bit.

"Bill, Jonathan went over there to tell Lizzie the truth. To put her daughter in her arms."

She must have ran her hands up and down that little body a million times. Kissed her little cheeks a thousand times, caressed her little hands twice that many.

* * *

Lizzie still could not believe she sat on Bill's bed with her daughter in her lap. Sarah, her baby girl, flesh and blood. Her little heart thumping away in her chest. Oh god, the sound of that little heart had woke Lizzie up almost every night for a year, but now it was real. She could feel it.

Sarah's eyes sparkled up at her, miniatures of her own. One of the few features she'd gotten from her mother.

"Oh, my baby, my beautiful baby." Lizzie cooed for the hundredth time.

"She's really here Lizzie, you can stop trying to convince yourself" Jonathan said, walking closer to the pair.

"I told you **not** to talk." Lizzie said, glaring at him.

"Come on, you have to understand-"

"I understand that you are a horrible, despicable, ruthless, excuse for a human being who stole my baby from me. Who let me think she was dead for _a year,_ who let me cry and beg for death for _a_ _year_. Do you understand how close I came to taking my life, just to see her face again? Do you even understand what you've done?"

"Do I understand what it's like to mourn?" Jonathan spat incredulously threw gritted teeth. "Because of you, Tammy is dead and buried, for real. I really will never see her face again."

Lizzie's jaw dropped.

"How dare...how dare you compare the two." She said, venomously. " I'm sorry Tammy is gone, and I'm sorry I went to my granddad that night, but you are so off base. You loved her…but this is my _baby_. She came from me, she's a part of my body, a piece of my heart. There is _no_ comparison."

"You presume to know how I feel in losing Tammy?"

"I figured it would be okay, since you presumed to think it was okay to make me think my little girl was dead."

They were at an impasse. Neither was going to back down and give the other ground.

"I did what I did for Sarah, you were not fit raise her a year ago, and you know it."

"Who were _you_ to decide that Jonathan?" She spat, wanting to scream, but not wanting to upset her precious baby, who she still clung to. "You aren't God. You don't get to make supreme decisions like that. I don't care how angry you are."

He grunted in frustration, having stepped forward an inch, and lost a mile.

"I had to keep her away from him, I didn't want her to become a victim like Tammy, or even one like you. And before you get that fire in your eye, you know in your heart that your granddad is responsible for every bad quality you have. He treats you like dirt. Did you want her locked up in that nursery he has, being treated like dirt too?"

Lizzie's face softened, but not toward Jonathan, to him, her heart was still cold as ice. He may have a point, but it did not excuse him at all.

"We could have protected her…together. Not as lovers or anything, but as her parents. Which _I am_ one of." Lizzie said, kissing Sarah's forehead.

"From your granddad, there is no protection, unless you're a million miles away. And like I said, last year, you were just like him. I'm not completely convinced you're that different now. I went against my gut brining her here."

Lizzie narrowed her gaze. "So I guess I should thank you or something huh? Okay. Thank you Jonathan, for bringing back my daughter who you took from me, who you made me think burnt to a horrible death in a car. Thank you for making me miss the first year of her life. Her first words, her first steps. Thank you for making me a stranger to my baby. Thank you for punishing _me _for Tammy's death. Thank you_ so much_."

Jonathan stood up, and walked toward her.

"You want to act that way, I'll take her, and we'll go."

Lizzie clung to Sarah for dear life, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw something Jon did not.

"You won't put a finger on either of them."

Jonathan rounded and came face to face with Bill Lewis. _Thanks a bunch Ma_, he thought to himself.

"This isn't your fight man. Back off."

"The hell it isn't. Nobody talks to Lizzie like that, not when I'm around. Unless they want their face broken."

Jon smirked.

"I'm so scared cuzzin. No, I really am. I'm terrified of you Lil'Bill. Can't you see me shaking?"

"Look Bill, it's Sarah, my daughter is alive. He kept her from me, but look she's here, and she's breathing and she's perfect." Lizzie said, so happy to have her love here to share her good news.

He offered Lizzie a sweet smile, but that quickly melted as Jonathan faked tears.

"Awuh. Isn't it beautiful Bill? Doesn't it look like a Hallmark card? Or it would if Sarah's mom wasn't acting like such a crazy-"

Before he could finish, Bill had him knocked into the wall, and the two men were scuffling.

"Don't" Lizzie protested, hugging Sarah " He deserves it so much, but not in front of Sarah, just cool it for her sake."

Bill released Jonathan, who came straight for Sarah.

"I didn't come here for this, hand her over."

"No!" Lizzie said, sinking back from him.

"You're not leaving here with Lizzie's baby"

"And you and what army is going to stop me?"

"Well, we're no army, but I think my men have the equipment to handle you." A third, new male voice said.

"Frank" Jonathan said, before he had even turned around.

"That's right, but it's Officer Cooper to you Jonathan Randall, because you're under arrest on two counts of defrauding the U.S government, and one count of custodial kidnapping."

Through all the mess of handcuffing Jon, Bill worked his way over to stretch his arm around Lizzie whose gaze was locked on Sarah. She looked up at him eyes so full of thanks.

Her white knight had come, and he'd come with a cavalry.

* * *

**F/N**: Okay, the ending with Frank might have been a little dumb, but I can't be the only one who wished they'd at least threw Jon in jail for one night. The guy committed major crimes! Hope you guys are still liking… 


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